Axle-lubricator.



- portion ll).

- forms a shoulder 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXLE-LUBRIGATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

Application filed January '7, 1907. Serial No. 351.253.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .Tosnrn AnEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rural Hall, in the county of Forsyth and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axle-Lubricators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in lubricating devices for vehicle axles, and it consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed. 4

The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of the axle, whereby oil 01' other lubricant may be applied to the spindles without the necessity of first removing the wheels, and to provide means to exclude dust and dirt.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an axle constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing the cover closed and the stopper in place; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same with the stopper removed, the cover open, and a lubricating can having its spout applied to the oil-conducting groove of the spindle; Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the cover closed and in place; Fig. 5 is a similar view with the cover removed; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on a larger scale, taken on the plane indicated by the line aa of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a similar view, taken on the plane indicated by the line bb of Fig. 1; and Fig. 8 is a detail inverted perspective view of the stopper.

The steel axle 1 has the usual tapering spindle 2 at its end, and between said spindle and the square portion of the axle is the flanged collar 3 having an outwardly-facing, annular groove 4, into which the inner end of the hub of the wheel fits and turns. The wooden tree 5 terminates short of the collar 3 and Said shoulder may be otherwise formed within the scope of my invention, and I do not limit myself in this particular. A clip 7 of usual construction is here shown to secure the tree on the square portion of the steel axle.

In the upper side of the spindle is a longitudinal oil or other lubricant conducting and receiving groove 8. The said groove extends entirely to the outer end of the spindle to the shoulder 9, against which the usual nut abuts, which is secured on the reduced threaded The said groove also extends across and through the collar 3 along that portion of the axle which is between the shoulder 6 and said collar. the inner end 11 of the said groove being near the shoulder 6. On one side of the groove 8 are lubricant-distributing grooves 12, which are comparatively short and which serve to convey oil or lubricant from the groove 8 to the surface of the spindle, as the wheel revolves thereon.

On the square portion of the axle at the inner side of and abutting against the collar 3 is a cuff 13, the upper side of which is formed with hinge members 14. A cover 15 is formed at one end with hinge members 16. which enter the spaces between the members 14 of the cuff, and a pintle 17 is employed to extend through alined openings in the hinge members 14, 16 to hinge or pivotally connect the cover 15 to the said cuff 13, so that said cover may be lowezed on the square portion of the steel axle between the collar 3 and the shoulder 6 to cover the inner end of the groove 8, or may be raised to uncover said inner end of said groove. The said cover may be made of spring sheet metal and is formed 'with side flanges 18, which, when the cover is closed, bear tightly against the sides of the steel axle and hold said cover in a closed position thereon and so'tightly as to prevent dust from entering. Said cover closes with a spring action. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, that when the cover 15 is closed, its free end abuts against the shoulder 6, which is spaced from the collar 3. In the inner end of the groove 8 is placed a removable stopper 19, which may be made of rubber, leather, or fibrous or other suitable material, and is preferably formed with a thin, broadened inner portion 20 to lie on the surface of the steel axle, between the shoulder 6 and the collar 3, so that the cover 15 closes thereon and coacts to prevent the entrance of dust or other foreign matter.

In order to apply oil or other lubricant to the spindle, the cover 15 is raised, the stopper removed from the innor end of the groove 8, and the spout 21 of an oil or lubricant cup 22, Which may be of any suitable construction is inserted in the said groove 8 from the inner end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. In said figure, the body of the cup is shown as partly detached from the spout thereof. This cup may be of any suitable construction to supply oil or other lubricant to the groove 8. The cuff 13 is provided with a tongue 23 to enter and close the upper portion of the groove in the collar. The groove 8 is here shown on the upper side of the spindle, but it will be understood that it may be located on one side of the spindle, if necessary.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will .be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is,-

I. An axle having a lubricant receiving and conducting groove in the upper side of the spindle, extending longitudinally thereof and open at its inner end, a removable stopper having a portion to enter the inner end of said groow), and a thin broadened inner portion to lie on the axle, and a cover to close on said thin broadened inner portion of the stopper and retain the same in place.

2. An axle having a luln'ieant-receivingjand conducting groove in the upper side of its spindle, extending longitudinally thereof and open at its inner end, a removable stopper for the inner end of said groove, a cutf on said axle, and a cover hinged to the cuff and adapted to close on said stopper to retain the same in place.

3. An axle having a lubricant-receiving and conducting groove in the upper side of its spindle, extending longitudinally thereof and open at its inner end, a removable stoppet for the inner end of said groove, a clip on said axle, and a cover hinged to the clip and adapted to close on said stopper to retain the same in place, said cover having side flanges to embrace opposite sides of the square portion of the axle when the cover is closed, and locked by spring action.

4. An axle having a spindle provided with a longitudi- I nal groove to receive and convey lubricant, a collar at the inner end of said spindle, through which said groove extends, -and a shoulder on the upper side of the axle spaced from said collar, the said groove having its inner end extending nearly to said shoulder and open to admit the insertion of the spout of an oil or lubricant cup therein, a cult on the square portion of the axle abutting against the inner side of the shoulder, a removable stopper for the inner end of the groove, anda cover for the inner end of the groove and hinged to the said cult, substantially as described 5. An axle havinga collar and a spindle and provided with a longitudinal groove in the peripheral surface of the spindle and extending across the collar, the inner end of said groove being open, a cult on the axle, against the collar and having a tongue extending into and closing the upper portion of the groove in said collar, and a cover for the inner end of said groove, said cover being hinged to the said cuffv In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH ADEN.

Witnesses J. W. GARNER, C. MUNTER. 

